Citizens Say—-

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 339, 26 April 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say —-

(To the Editor.)

COMPARATIVE ATTRACTIONS Sir, Quite a crowd of people were assembled on the kerb in Queen Street the other afternoon. Thinking it might be an accident, a fit or a fight, I rushed to the point of attraction. Members of both sexes, in the inner ranks, were scrutinising some object in the centre with the keenest interest, while the less fortunate ones on the skirts of the crowd stood on tiptoe in their efforts to get a better view. Taking my cue from the latter members of the crowd, I also raised my heels, and beheld—a drunken man?—an old lady in a fit?—a dog fight? No, sir—a Rolls -Ho yce! I also saw a man, an elderly man, walking the streets with a “Want Work” plac ard “fore and aft,” but nobody seemed to notice him. SYDNEY DIXON. ANGLICAN TEACHING Sir, — In your issue last evening “Anglican” adversely criticises the Rev. Howard Elliott for expressing opinions as a Protestant against the disloyal movement of many Anglican ministers in endeavouring to foist upon the Church of England teaching and practices contrary to the articles of that church. I attended the P.P.A. meeting on Monday evening and considered that the lecturer was quite right in his statements; also that as a Protestant he was quite right in expressing his opinions which I trust Anglicans will support and act upon should the need arise in this country, as I fear it has. I nee# not go further than to hope that Anglicans will not look upon the Rev. Howard Elliott as an interloper gibing at our church, but will believe him to be an earnest advocate of Protestant teaching and a loyal ministry. ANOTHER ANGLICAN. TAXATION OF MOTORS Sir, — The motor-car is no longer the toy of the rich. It has almost completely replaced the horse and has become one of the largest labour-employing industries in the Dominion. Motorists are willing to pay substantial taxation for good roads, and the petrol tax is more equitable than heavy licence fees. There are many thrifty workers getting a second-hand car to take their wives and families for an outing at the weekend. Heavy licence fees are not fair to these people, but a petrol tax makes the people who use the roads most contribute the most toward highway maintenance. The Government put on a heavy petrol tax, twice too heavy in view of the fact that the grocer, the butcher, the baker and the milkman have now almost discarded the horse This, however, would not have been so bad had the authorities taken something off the licence fees. Also the renewal of plates every ye^r

is wanton extravagance. It would be better to pay the half dollar toward better roads and retain the same plate, which ought to be good enough for at least five years. These plates, by the way, can be produced for half the money in America. Why not get them from America and put the other half into the road fund? The Government has already collected hundreds of thousands of pounds from renewal of plates and the Petrol Tax, to say nothing of the tax on cars and spare parts. But where is our roading policy. Concreting has ceased around Auckland, though the weather has been exceptionally good and unemployment rampant. If motorists do not know how to vote at the coming elections, I don’t know what further lessons are required. E. STEVENSON. ANZAC DAY Sir, — Anzac Day, with its sad, yet glorious, memories, once more has been commemorated throughout the British Empire. With each succeeding commemoration, the conviction grows stronger within me that we could better please our departed loved ones by caring more for their living comrades, and showing less ostentatiousness in honouring the memory of those who have given their lives. Wondrous, indeed, are the acts of unselfishness we hear about among the boys themselves during the trials of warfare, and it seems to me that it is now our duty to do all we can for those who survived those trials and came out of the Great War with their lives, but alas, very little else to assist them in taking their place in a business world that demands physical fitness. Anzac Day, with its compulsory holiday, is undoubtedly at present creating a fresh hardship for those who, even on a sixday week’s pay, only just manage to make ends meet, and an even greater hardship on those who are desperately seeking work. And many of these are returned soldiers. I would suggest that Anzac Day be commemorated in this manner: 1. That no public holiday be observed. 2. That all business be carried on as usual. 3. That all workers, able and willing to do so, devote that whole day’s pay (or as nearly all as circumstances will permit) to the returned soldiers’ fund. Non-wage-earners give at their discretion. 4. That suitable boxes (with attendants) be placed at convenient corners of our city streets, into which donations (not solicited) can be put. No badges of any kind to be given in return. This to take place on Anzac Day itself or, should it fall on a Sunday, the following day. 5. Anzac night, a commemoration service be held in the Town Ilall and every church in the city and suburbs, and, in addition, for those who want it, an early morning Communion service be celebrated. Thus, if one wishes,

one can begin the day and end * quietly, yet publicly, hallowing memory of the departed, ind during the day itself be working, with the knowledge that we are (by devoting the results of that day’s work to the returned soldier) showing some very real and practical sympathy with their comrades who are making a life sacrifice. To observe Anzac Day in this manner would be a true test of genuineness of our patriotism ana loyalty to the memory of those who fought for us. REMEMBER THE NECES3ITOI SHAKESPEARE ON THE AIR Sir, — I listened-in to the special evenU *r with Shakespeare as broadcast iro IYA. The published list of items appeared interesting and my hopes rose high in anticipation of an enjoy* time. But “Oh. what a fall wa ® *** my countrymen!” I am a hum lover of Shakespeare’s genius, ana is because I hate to hear him treated that I enter this protest, me acknowledge at once that my c ‘° _ plaint does not apply to all the performers—but to abcut 90 per cen themWhy, in the name of conaa**** must these elocutionists saermee spirit of living poetry to the so ing brass of mere noise? R ceeded even in making at noises one might forgive them but what is there in the least a tive in all this pother of xn°utm-i» mincing nonsense that goes u • name of elocution. The nr.es of sound —a dead Snakes oeare* ‘ words, words, words. ShaK characters were human faults and blood, with all their Ijt , ett v and hates, tendernesses, loves an v j meannesses —just like that they steadfastly refuse to believe tna were too well-bred to like ladies ings and that t -y all B P° k f schookand gentlemen from elocutLo * the There is a great need to-aay admit teaching of good speech, an on# that it is self-evident. (To game example given by a singer evening:: “Biaw. blaw. weenter-r-r-r woind. An vou ch.) netic rendering for which! caricaBut the absurd, t xaggerateo. ture of speech which is th locu tionist in-trade of the average ,Er?‘ (that dismal word) is 1,01 f )t is «f lish. and the acquirement 01 eloCUtainly no justification fort* an d <m tionist’s attack on shak ,f^- en t publfc* the good faith of an ““cal***-